British Champions Day: Anmaat finishes with a wet sail to cause 40-1 upset in Champion Stakes - Ascot latest

The final race of the day is the only non-Group race on the card, the Balmoral Handicap. With over £100,000 to the winner, it is extremely competitive once again.

Thunder Run Trainer: Karl Burke
Jockey: Ryan Moore

Improving type who made it 3-5 when winning a similar contest at York at the Ebor festival. Could be a Group-race performer in the making and booking of Ryan Moore is a big positive.

Thunder Run16:35 Ascot

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Jky: Ryan Moore Tnr: K R Burke

Holloway Boy T: Karl Burke
J: William Buck

High-class talent having won a Group 3 last time out but is at the top of weights. Has some form on testing ground and William Buick looks to make it 2-2 aboard.

Holloway Boy16:35 Ascot

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Jky: William Buick Tnr: K R Burke

Daysofourlives
T: Marco Botti
J: Jack Mitchell

Impressive winner at Doncaster last time and shaped well over the course and distance at Royal Ascot earlier this season. Ground is an unknown though but he has potential.

Daysofourlives16:35 Ascot

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Jky: Jack Mitchell Tnr: Marco Botti

Francis Henri Graffard felt Calandagan had it in the bag when the French raider hit the front but it was not meant to be. He was beaten half a length by Anmaat.

Graffard told ITV: "I thought the race was over when he took the lead and to be fair I didn't see the winner coming. He ran a great race and well done to the winning connections.

"He was slow away and he [Stephane Pasquier] tried to put him in the race then he travelled nicely. He had his chance to win but the winner beat us on the line."

Economics was found to have bled from his nose after his disappointing effort in the Champion Stakes. The 2-1 second favourite suffered was beaten for the fist time this season, finishing sixth and beaten three and three quarter lengths.

Haggas told ITV: "He was a bit disappointing, obviously. Tom [Marquand] felt the ground was a bit soft for him but I said I wouldn't use that as an excuse so I'm not going to. He seems fine. There was a little blood in his nose so we'll sort that out."

Anmaat: impressive winner of the Champion StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Anmaat was 40-1 but there were signs he was capable of this type of performance, he won last year's Prix d'Ispahan (with QEII second Facteur Cheval behind him) and his RPR of 122 achieved in the 2022 Prix Dollar is not far off the standard set by Calandagan and Economics.

His fifth, when sent off at 6-5, in the same race last month clearly was well below par and connections were not sure about running him but he fired right back in excellent fashion.

"He wasn't going to run after he disappointed in France but this was his day," Crowley said to ITV Racing. "He had a lovely position then we just had nowhere to go. I can't say what I was thinking but once I got the gap he went.

"Credit to Owen Burrows and team Shadwell to get him back and as good as ever. He was in the Eclipse last year and I was convinced he'd beat Paddington and a few others but he went wrong the day before. It's great to get him back."

No confirmation of whether he will remain in training next season but Owen Burrows seemed optimistic when asked by ITV.

Anmaat: shock winner of the Champion StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Absolutely loads to unpack in that race.

Firstly the race itself. The eye was drawn to Anmaat turning for home with Jim Crowley motionless but he had simply nowhere to go the wall of horses in front of him and two either side.

Then it got even more ugly as Calandgan barged his way through from a difficult passage, forcing Los Angeles into Anmaat's path but with a furlong to go the passage opened and the turn of foot to take advantage was extraordinary. 

Calandgan backers may have thought he had the race in safe keeping as he navigated his way to the front but right in the final strides was Anmaat who blitzed to the front to topple the favourite. Jim Crowley punched the air and I don't blame him, it must have felt extraordinary.

Economics did not get into the best position and faded in the final furlong, the ground perhaps to blame.

1 Anmaat 40-1
2 Calandagan 6-4F
3 Royal Rhyme 25-1

My oh my. Two years on from being on the losing end of a shock record with Baaeed, Jim Crowley and Shadwell have pulled off a huge surprise as 40-1 Anmaat steals it on the line from Clandagan in a cracker.

The Qipco Champion Stakes (3.55) is the big race of the day and looks a fascinating contest.

Economics
Trainer: William Haggas
Jockey: Tom Marquand

Has been brilliant this season, winning the Dante and Prix Guillaume d'Ornano before holding off Auguste Rodin for an outstanding Irish Champion Stakes win. Already a high-class colt but keeps improving.

Economics15:55 Ascot

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Jky: Tom Marquand Tnr: William Haggas

Calandagan
T: Francis Graffard
J: Stephane Pasquier

A breathtaking winner of the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot before finishing a storming second to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International. That form makes him the one to beat on ratings and he has winning form on testing ground.

Calandagan15:55 Ascot

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Jky: Stephane Pasquier Tnr: F-H Graffard

Los Angeles T: Aidan O'Brien
J: Ryan Moore

The Arc form is put to the test with the third-place finisher taking on another top-class field. He was behind Economics in the Irish Champion Stakes but has some form on testing ground and has been consistent this season.

Los Angeles15:55 Ascot

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Jky: Ryan Moore Tnr: A P O'Brien

Facteur Cheval will also be on his travels after his fine second in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He filled the same spot last term behind Big Rock and will be off to Australia next for the Golden Eagle at Rosehill.

Jerome Reynier told Racing TV: "When he challenged Charyn they went head to head but Charyn is the best miler and it's like a victory to finish second again. It's hard to win a Group 1 here in Britain but one day we will. 

"Facteur Cheval got a little squeezed in but it wouldn't changed anything but we were beaten by a better horse. We'll run in the Golden Eagle in Australia on November 2."

Charyn: will have one final race before retirementCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Charyn could have one more run before he retires to stud, says Roger Varian, after his impressive win in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The two-length winner was hailed as the finished article and has options of the Breeders' Cup Mile or the Mile Championship in Japan on November 17.

Varian told ITV: "He's the finished article, he's fully developed and in his peak. Hasn't he been great all year? It's a great result.

"It's already been announced that he'll retire at the end of the season and be a stallion for Nurlan Bizakov Sumbe's operation in France. I'd, of course, love him to stay on but it's not the case.

"We'll see how he comes out of this but we'll contemplate one more international run."

By Ron Wood

Charyn improved his form figures for the season to 1121121 with a fine performance to defeat Facteur Cheval in the QEII. 

The runner-up loomed alongside going well heading into the closing stages, but Charyn leaned in on him on three separate occasions while keeping on strongly - and the French horse could find no extra.

For those two second-place finishes this term, Charyn had seen the winner get too big a start on him, so Silvestre de Sousa was taking no chances aboard the Roger Varian horse this time, racing in touch before hitting the front a fair way out. 

That left Charyn looking vulnerable, but he's such an honest horse who just gallops all the way to the line, the season's outstanding miler.

Charyn: impressive winner at AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

Charyn has capped off a truly phenomenal season. He was 0-7 as a three-year-old and started off the season looking for a confidence boost in the Listed Doncaster Mile.

He got just that and went on to prove a force at the top-level, finishing second in the Lockinge before stamping his class over the mile division in the Queen Anne and Prix Jacques le Marois.

This performance though was probably even better, he moved with ease as a high-class field toiled in behind and he charged home under Silvestre de Sousa.

He has been a real star for Roger Varian and put Silvestre de Sousa back in the spotlight after his return to Britain.

1 Charyn 13-8F
2 Facteur Cheval 11-2
3 Tamfana 7-2

A thrilling finish but Charyn holds off Facteur Cheval to make it three Group 1 wins this season for Silvestre de Sousa and Roger Varian. 

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (3.15) is one of the signature mile races of the season and this year's running looks set to be a cracker.

Charyn
Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: Silvestre de Sousa

Has emerged as one of the leading forces in the mile division with victories in the Queen Anne Stakes, over course and distance, and Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. He finished second in the Prix du Moulin when bidding for the hat-trick but handles soft ground and is the one to beat.

Charyn15:15 Ascot

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Jky: Silvestre De Sousa Tnr: Roger Varian

Tamfana
T: David Menuisier
J: Oisin Murphy

An unlucky loser in the 1,000 Guineas earlier this year but gained compensation when a smart winner of the Sun Chariot against her own sex last month. She takes on the boys now but is improving and conditions suit so must rate as a leading contender.

Tamfana15:15 Ascot

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Jky: Oisin Murphy Tnr: David Menuisier

Henry Longfellow T: Aidan O'Brien
J: Ryan Moore

Has been consistent in top mile races this season with his best effort coming at Ascot when second to Rosallion in the St James's Palace Stakes. Behind Charyn at Longchamp last time though and would need a career best to win.

Henry Longfellow15:15 Ascot

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Jky: Ryan Moore Tnr: A P O'Brien

Sean Dylan Bowen: champion apprentice in 2024Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

News from Catterick, Sean Dylan Bowen has been crowned 2024 champion apprentice.

Joe Leavy needed to win on all three of his mounts to level Bowen's tally but his defeat on odds-on favourite Small Fry means he can not catch Bowen.

Leavy started the day with a winner aboard Morandi Second, with Bowen second on the 11-4 favourite Molten Sea, but he is two winners short with just one ride remaining.

Kalpana: impressive winner at AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Hard not to be impressed by Kalpana who simply surged clear to post a top-class performance.  

The three-year-old has flourished in the latter stages of the season and her rise to the elite level is quite the climb given she was sent off a 5-1 shot in a Wolverhampton novice in January and started handicapping off a rating of 78 in April.

That performance suggests she certainly looks capable of mixing it in the big middle-distance races next season and Coral go 20-1 for the Arc in 2025. 

"She's a wonderful filly and William gave her a perfect ride," Balding said. "This filly hadn't done any fast work this time last year so it's been a pretty steep trajectory from Wolverhampton to here. It was the plan to stay in training.

"Juddmonte are a tremendous operation and they'd be a bit of heartache if she and Bluestocking had to run against each other but we'll try and avoid that as much as we can."

An emotional winner for Buick too. Many of his big early opportunities came from Balding and this was his first Group 1 victory for the yard.

By Mark Brown

Another race on the round course where little got involved, Kalpana running out an impressive winner.

Although uneasy in the market, presumably on account of her being unproven on ground so testing, she produced a smart burst to take over and win for the first time at the top level.

She's come a long way, having won a Newmarket handicap from a mark of 78 back in April.

Wingspan is a heavy-ground winner and she enjoyed the run of the race in front, so it was no surprise to see her fare best of the O'Brien runners, while Tiffany, an improving daughter of mud-lover Farhh, fared best of the older runners without having the pace to respond as the winner went past.

1 Kalpana 100-30F
2 Wingspan 12-1
3 Tiffany 13-2

A commanding success from Kalpana who powers away from Wingspan to win impressively for William Buick and Andrew Balding.

Juddmonte had the subsequent Arc winner Bluestocking finish second here last year.